Rusty Trigger
Member
Should be any day now, as last year’s was posted on the third Tuesday of September. Can’t wait to see how the state spins the numbers this year.
KPWD Bird Forcast Spin
- Thread starter Rusty Trigger
- Start date
BritChaser
Well-known member
"Spin" is the right word!
fsentkilr
Active member
I was out at my Farm in Finney County last weekend. I drove back roads from Ness across Lane and some in Finney, Hodgeman and Scott counties. I didn't see hardly any young pheasants, but did see quite a few quail. When I was putting up no hunting signs I saw a covey that was just a few days old. Talking to the locals, they say there aren't hardly any young pheasants, but seem to be quite a few quail. I don't know for sure why, I always thought pheasant could handle hot and dry better than quail. I saw 4 different coveys on my farm, all were coming to windmill for water. In Anderson County were I live we have had one of the best hatches for quail if not the best in the last decade. The broods are all nice sized also. Last night in an hour just before dark, I saw 7 coveys averaging 12 to 15 birds each. I didn't see that many all winter last year. If we have a mild winter and a good hatch next year, we could be getting back into some good quail hunting.
Devil's Advocate
Ok, I understand your all's perspective, but playing devil's advocate here...
Putting yourself in the upland game biologist chair, how would you write it in such a down year, but with some areas (OK, I'll use the word "pockets") that will still have some birds, especially for those who ARE "willing to work for it."
All of us die hard bird hunters on here are still going to chase birds this year, and will still have good days...right, so tell me how you'd do it, especially given the underlying pressures.
Just curious.
Ok, I understand your all's perspective, but playing devil's advocate here...
Putting yourself in the upland game biologist chair, how would you write it in such a down year, but with some areas (OK, I'll use the word "pockets") that will still have some birds, especially for those who ARE "willing to work for it."
All of us die hard bird hunters on here are still going to chase birds this year, and will still have good days...right, so tell me how you'd do it, especially given the underlying pressures.
Just curious.
NElabaholic
Member
I agree, my family and my wife's family farm in Anderson County and they've been seeing quite a few birds this year. Last weekend I saw 4 coveys out driving around! Could be getting better anyway.
HighBrass68
Banned
re: devils advocate
Kansas,
Great point and question!
As a traveling bird hunter, I look forward to the upland forecast each year.
It is always a good read and I take it for what it is.....general surveys of broad areas of land....mixed w/ weather conditions and habitat gains or losses.
Since I have access to many great farms thru-out Kansas, I am fortunate. If bird numbers are way down.....like quail have been (for past 5 years) in south east ks....I just move on to other areas, where I have access.
I make calls and send emails to my friends / landowner contacts and use their reports as my barometer.
As the small game coordinator, I would keep in mind that several players are involved and must be kept satisfied....ie farmers, hunters (local and non-res) and local business owners / workers in the small towns thru-out the state that so depend on the influx of money we hunters bring to their economies.
Keeping those factors in mind, I would publish the departments findings in that vain...
If an area looks to be great....then that goes to print. If an area looks to be down....same.
Some gloss must be added as the department is also part of the state tourism and must compete w/ other states for hunting dollars.
Kansas,
Great point and question!
As a traveling bird hunter, I look forward to the upland forecast each year.
It is always a good read and I take it for what it is.....general surveys of broad areas of land....mixed w/ weather conditions and habitat gains or losses.
Since I have access to many great farms thru-out Kansas, I am fortunate. If bird numbers are way down.....like quail have been (for past 5 years) in south east ks....I just move on to other areas, where I have access.
I make calls and send emails to my friends / landowner contacts and use their reports as my barometer.
As the small game coordinator, I would keep in mind that several players are involved and must be kept satisfied....ie farmers, hunters (local and non-res) and local business owners / workers in the small towns thru-out the state that so depend on the influx of money we hunters bring to their economies.
Keeping those factors in mind, I would publish the departments findings in that vain...
If an area looks to be great....then that goes to print. If an area looks to be down....same.
Some gloss must be added as the department is also part of the state tourism and must compete w/ other states for hunting dollars.
HighBrass68
Banned
Anderson County birds...
Fezkiller and labaholic,
Great to hear that birds are improving down your way!
I have many good memories from hunting there....
starting back in 96'...I chased birds around Anderson and Allen counties w/ excellent results. 10 to 15 coveys per day was avg, and 8 coveys was a poor day....
Hunters from all over the states would converge on the small local towns there.
I also pray for continued improvement, mild weather and habitat gains!
Fezkiller and labaholic,
Great to hear that birds are improving down your way!
I have many good memories from hunting there....
starting back in 96'...I chased birds around Anderson and Allen counties w/ excellent results. 10 to 15 coveys per day was avg, and 8 coveys was a poor day....
Hunters from all over the states would converge on the small local towns there.
I also pray for continued improvement, mild weather and habitat gains!
OKIEGunner
New member
my problem with the Kansas outlook is it minces a lot of words and sweet talking verbage, we have all read it before. SD gives it straight up.....down 46%......that would be all i need to know, of course there will be some areas with better densities, but many areas will be virtual sterile of pheasants and will lead to huge disappointments....you have to understand marketing and i fear this year we'll get a double dose of that.
KansasCowboy
Member
We'll never know until we really get out and "hunt" this year. Best of luck to everyone who works hard for every bird and doesnt hunt in a 25 man firing line!
I'd like to know how many of you are changing your opening day plans because of the bird forecast??? I've been hunting opening weekend in Southwest Kansas ever since I started hunting with my same group of buddies I work with. One of them asked me the other day if we should try somewhere different this year opening weekend and my reply was hell no, she's been good to us for a long time now and I'm not going to turn my back on her in down times, or something along those lines. Granted we may not limit out, but it's not so much about that any more. It's a tradition!
kansasbrittany
Banned
The opener is all about tradition. Good call:cheers:
Yeah, I have been hunting out near/around Dodge City since 1996. I know some folks down that way and I hunt mainly all private land. There have been bad years in the past and stellar years. I have my motel reservations done and we are all still going.
The only seasons I never went were 1) when I was stationed in South Korea at Camp Humphreys on a 1 year remote tour and 2) when I nearly got divorced and things were not very good on the home front
Other than that I have been every year since 1996.
I would like to help "stimulate" the local economy there in southwest KS with my hard earned money, before Obama takes it all
Greg
The only seasons I never went were 1) when I was stationed in South Korea at Camp Humphreys on a 1 year remote tour and 2) when I nearly got divorced and things were not very good on the home front
Other than that I have been every year since 1996.
I would like to help "stimulate" the local economy there in southwest KS with my hard earned money, before Obama takes it all
Greg
CowboyBirdDogs
New member
Are the bird numbers really THAT bad? I mean haven't the past 8 years been higher than average as far as bird numbers go?
I think the bird numbers are going to be pretty bad. The hatch was terrible if non-existent and then there's not much cover too hunt. The CRP corners are gone and they didn't plant milo because it's too dry.
i am not going as planned for opening weekend, in fact i may not go at all this year, even though i have plenty of ground to hunt. it will be ND and SD for me this year, even though they will be down too, i have hunted Kansas on dry years, this one, without some significant rains this fall, will be really, really tough for the bird count and scenting conditions......i have literally wiped sweat, dirt and mud from my face after walking through the many dust choked fields before, it just ain't that much fun, especially when i only have a few days each season to get my dogs into birds.
to the rest of the diehards, i wish you all the best of luck, sounds like there may be a few more quail around. :cheers: